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Nine Months (PP&P8)

Nine Months. We made it!
Took longer than expected,
But was worth the wait.


As we approached the boys' 9 month "birthday" this week, a friend remarked "Wow! They're breaking even!" And as the words came out we both corrected the remark and laughed. Nope, my boys are overachievers, they broke even 2 months ago.

This fleeting comment made me realize how "9 months" is a simple phrase or idea that we readily equate to pregnancy. What other "month" phrases have such a clear definition in our vernacular? 12 months is a year. 9 months is gestation. 7, 8, 6 months? No obvious definitions come to mind. But we all know what happened when a baby is born 9 months after his parents' wedding day. (And let's not forget all those preemies who were born 7 or 8 months after their parents' wedding day. <wink wink>)

But to a preemie mom, this colloquial "9 months" no longer has the same import as it did before we wore the "preemie mom" badge.

Now "9 months" comes with a sting:
Could I have kept them in longer?
Why did my body do this to them, to us?
What will happen next time I am pregnant?
They should have still been within me, growing and thriving.

But "9 months" also comes with a warm reminder:
Look how far they have come.
Look how healthy they are.
Look at what I have done that I never knew I could.

This week the warmest reminder was felt while celebrating our first full 9 month victory as a family. Our little boys are 9 months old. They have more than QUADRUPLED their weights. They are developmentally on track in many instances for actual 9 month olds, not even 7 month olds. They are little miracles and provide daily inspiration to work hard in order to overcome whatever obstacles life sets before us.

It took us 16 months to reach 9 months. And oh boy(s) was it worth the wait!


1 in 9 babies is born too soon. This is why I walk.
Join Our Journey: http://www.marchforbabies.org/ChiuBabies

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